Cold to the bone
by Trinnor
Summary: It's the trio's seventh year at Hogwarts, but they have to find and destroy the remaining horcruxes. But things don’t go entirely as planned when the trio get unexpected company along the way. Harry/Ginny Hermione/Ron Hermione/Draco
1. Chapter 1: Morsmordre

The nightly air was heavy with moist and heat, and not a single sound could be heard. Only the wind made the trees move, but the leaves didn't rustle. The usually starry sky was now empty and endless, except from a pale orb hanging majestic in the middle of the choking darkness. The full moon illuminated the small village beneath it, making every corner hide in shadow and everything else bathe in a ghostly shower of light.

Seeking Hill was a village like any other. It was parted into two parts: Downtown and the Hills. Most of the villagers lived in Downtown, except for some people – either rich or just plain crazy – who lived almost alone in the Hills. The Hills was as its name said: hills. Downtown was surrounded by them, and only one way went in and out of the village in the east end. Tonight, this way was blocked, and Seeking Hill was not a village like any other.

The wind suddenly grew in strength, and a cloud of black smoke showed in the passage out of the village. A giant _crack_ could be heard, but no one woke up from their deep sleep, except for a single cat. The ground shook a tiny bit before everything went completely silent once again.

The cat stretched its limbs and snuck out of its respective garden. It sat as silent as only cats can, and waited for the cloud of black smoke to clear. It waited for several minutes before it could vaguely see four silhouettes rise out of the cloud. The smoke faded away and the cat changed its position curiously. A jet of green light shot out of the darkness and the cat lay dead on the ground. One of the cloaked silhouettes bent down over it and kicked into the gutter. The woman hissed at the sound of the cat's limp body hitting the bricks. She tucked her black hair inside her hood before getting up.

"It was just a cat," she whispered and signalled for the three others to follow her.

"Which house is it?" a raw, male voice growled. He had strong figure hidden under his black cloak, and he smelled of blood, sweat and dirt. The woman stopped; her body shivering with desire.

"It's the one on the top of the hills over there," she sneered and pointed at the shadow of a mansion far ahead. The man let out a displeased sound, and the woman's body stiffened.

"Do you doubt the Dark Lord?" she whispered through clenched teeth. Her dark eyes gleamed of insanity, as they always did. The large man shook his massive head and backed down. The woman smirked and turned her back on him.

"Come on; let's not waste time here when we know we have a filthy mudblood within our grasp!" She laughed hysterically and Apparated. The man stayed behind and turned around to the two restoring Death Eaters.

"Watch the road," he said and showed of his stained teeth. The two cloak dressed men nodded short as the man Apparated with a loud _crack_.

She woke up by the sudden shake of ground. _Perhaps an earthquake?_ As a long time witch she knew better than believing that suggestion and going back to sleep. Her friend, on the other hand, had not the privilege of a wand or magical skills. Anna Marie laid on the couch, still drawling in her sleep as the charming muggle she was.

Hermione sighed and drew her wand. She snuck out of her comfy chair and ran over to the wide window, trying to stamp as little as possible, no to wake her friend's family downstairs. She was glad that she still had contact with some of her old friends, even when they usually just sent each other mail now and then. Hermione had been a very good friend of Anna in her muggle-days, but after she'd begun at Hogwarts, they'd barely mailed.

That had changed in fourth grade, though, and now she had mailed with Anna for a long time, and both of them had been excited about seeing each other again for the first time in seven years. Hermione was really happy about Anna's family lending her and her parents the guesthouse, but was a bit sad about not returning the favour by telling where she'd been all those years. It was hard keeping her world a secret to Anna, who had welcomed her with open arms and had told her everything that'd happened while Hermione had "been away". She sighed. Why couldn't Anna be a witch like herself?

From the top of the Hills she had a great overview of the entire Downtown, but the panorama view didn't serve its purpose tonight. She sighed again and thought of her parents next door, and watched the clock on the wall. It was 02:00 in the morning. She was to be home at midnight.

She giggled a bit at her rule breaking, as this sort of thing wasn't normally her way. She always followed the rules, but that had of course changed the last seven years. She smiled at how much influence her schoolmates had on her. She had changed after starting at Hogwarts, and she wasn't quite sure if it was for the better. She still did her home work and prefect duties, though. Harry and Ron hadn't changed her all that much.

She huffed by the thought of not going back to school after the holiday. She knew she would miss Ginny a lot, since the short tempered redhead was her only friend among the witches. She thought of all the times she and Ginny had talked about boys and their stupid actions, especially Ron and all of his pathetic attempts of impressing the opposite sex. As she thought about the previous years, she suddenly spotted something outside of the window. She narrowed her eyes to get a better look at the two shadows marching through the garden.

She widened her eyes in shock as she understood what was gong on. Her body stiffened and she gripped her wand so hard it threatened to break in two. She threw herself away from the window and closed her eyes. It had to be a nightmare. She took a deep breath and peeked out of the double sized window again.

She gasped as her worst thoughts were confirmed. Those cloaks were unmistakeable; Death Eaters. She felt her heart skip several beats as she saw a woman pull back her hood and reveal her large mane of curly black hair. The words _"I killed Sirius Black"_ bellowed inside of her head as she gazed down at Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Oh my god," Hermione cried and felt her body tremble with fear. She had no chance. She was the only witch in the entire village, as far as she knew, and she hadn't even finished school! They were at least two Death Eaters; murderous, menacing and out to get her. Why else would they be there?

"Mum and dad," she whispered and her eyes widened. She got to her feet in drastic speed and ran out of the room. She flicked her wand at the door and murmured: "_Colloportus_". The lock clicked and the door was locked. Anna Marie could not escape and reveal herself for the blood thirsty Bellatrix if she should awake. She ran downstairs and did the same to Anna's parents' bedroom door. She ran out in the hallway, inhaling and exhaling faster than a scared rabbit. She had to get to her parents. She tightened her grip around her wand as she glanced out the window in the small hallway. She hid behind a hat rack as she did.

She hiccupped as she saw the two Death Eaters right outside the door. She held her breath and shrunk behind the rack, clinging on to her wand, her entire body shaking. _They mustn't come inside, they mustn't come inside, they mustn't come inside…_ she begged and closed her eyes. She could hear them talking only a few metres away from her, but couldn't care less about the subject of the conversation.

A brief moment later, their voices faded away. She waited a split second before she dared to peek out the window again. She felt her back was wet with sweat, and the reflection showed her that her lips were blue. But that was the only thing she saw; her own reflection.

They were gone. She to be relieved, but she couldn't relax. Why had they gone now? She didn't care for shoes or other clothing, and silently opened the door. The night was completely silent, and there was no sign of any earthquake. She threw the same spell at the door behind her as she had used at the other doors, and snuck out in the garden.

Her feet turned wet and cold as she ran barefoot over the grass, and she could barely breathe because of the heavy air. The nightly darkness blocked her sight as if she was wrapped up in a sheet, and she stumbled ahead and into the hedge that separated the mansion from the guesthouse. She gasped at the noise she made and stiffened to see if the two wrongdoers had heard her. But no. No sound came.

She tilted her head to look for them, her heart pounding so hard it threatened to explode. She crawled out of the hedge, wand in hand, and tip-toed towards the guest house. Her eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness, and she could se the silhouette of the large household. She held her breath as she saw the contours of the two Death Eaters at the main door. She rolled quickly to the side so she was covered by some rose bushes right under one of the two bedroom windows.

She felt tears stream down her cheeks, and she had to cover her mouth not to cry out loud. The fear running through her body made her sick, and a noxious spasm made her retch. _What am I doing? I am Hermione Granger, for Merlin's sake! I've fought with Harry Potter for years. I am a proud and brave Gryffindor! _She tried to control herself behind the roses for several minutes, and then, to her alarm, she couldn't spot the two shadows anymore.

A flash of white light appeared without warning inside of the main bedroom. The window glass above her broke and a series of screams made her ears hurt. An insane, high pitched laughter filled the air and Hermione couldn't move. She hadn't made it. She had been too much of a coward to warn her parents. She had feared more for her own life than her parents'.

A howl followed the laughter, and to her dread she quickly realised that the other Death Eater was Fenrir Greyback. She let out a screech of sorrow when he heard her mother's scream of pain cut through the night. The high pitched and daggering voice of Bellatrix Lestrange broke through the series of screams.

"Where is she?" she shouted and another helpless yelp unleashed itself from Hermione's mouth. Her hand leaped towards it to cover it, and she held her breath. She couldn't hear if her mother answered or not. "Crucio!" Bellatrix voice howled. She guessed not.

"I can smell the mudblood," Greyback's raw voice sneered and Mr. Granger let out a cry of pain. "Tell us where your pathetic excuse for a daughter is, and you'll die faster."

"Speak, filthy muggle trash," Bellatrix screamed and a jet of yellowish light made the other window explode. Hermione's father screeched in pain and all his daughter could do was lying stiff with fear on a bed of roses. She tried to cover her ears, but the penetrating cries of her parents' pain were too much to bear. She got up from the grass, no longer caring to be quiet, and started to run towards the road. If she screamed loud enough, someone had to hear her. Someone had to wake up!

The fear had made her clumsy and the tears blocked her sight, and she fell to her knees. She supported the fall with her hands, and a sudden sting in her wrists made her let out a cry of pain. She tried to get up but found her attempts pitiful. She crawled desperately forward to reach the gates that lead to the road, but her hurting wrists slowed her down. All of a sudden, a flash of green light illuminated the entire garden and stung in her eyes. She stopped in her movement and stared shocked at the guesthouse.

"Morsmordre!" Bellatrix' voice bellowed through the night, and the Dark Mark erupted in the choking darkness. Hermione felt empty. It was over. They were dead. Her parents were dead, and she had done nothing to prevent it.


	2. Chapter 2: The Burrow

_AN: Hellu, there! This chapter is a bit longer than the first one. I guess they seem longer in Word than they actually are. Hope you like it, and please leave a review ;)_

* * *

"What on earth are you doing here, dear?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed with worry and happiness at the same time. She dragged Hermione in and closed the door behind her, locking it with every spell possible. She hugged the seventeen year old girl and immediately noticed that she was shaking. She also stank of sweat and dirt. Hermione sniffed and dried her eyes, and Molly rubbed her back gently in a mother-like way. This only made Hermione cry silently, thinking about _her_ mother's last minutes. _No! This is a bad dream, this is a bad dream, this is a bad dream…_

She stopped crying so Mrs. Weasley wouldn't notice. Molly pulled away from the warm hug and examined Hermione's face. It was indeed covered with dirt, and the tears had painted clean rivers down her cheeks.

"What in the name of Merlin's worn-out socks has happened to you?" she asked with a troubled expression. Hermione wasn't sure what to say. She couldn't tell the truth; Mrs. Weasley would look at her as a coward. She was sure of it. All of _her _children were brave and would do anything to save each other and their parents. Not that Mrs. Weasley was a bad person. Hermione was a bad person. In theory she was a murderess. The one who ran out on her own parents… She sniffed again and blinked.

"I… I just… I'm so sorry…" she spluttered choked with tears. "I have no other place to go. Please forgive me, Mrs. Weasley, but I –" Molly signalled her to be silent and guided her into the kitchen. Hermione always used to smile whenever she entered the cosy kitchen room, but this time she had enough with just concentrating on her breathing.

"You don't have to apologize," Molly said and prepared two cups of hot chocolate. She levitated the cups over to the kitchen table, and sat down next to the girl. She rubbed one of Hermione's hands, but the girl jerked away in pain. Molly eyed Hermione carefully, wondering what the poor girl had gone through before she came. She always used to meet her eyes, but now she couldn't hold her stare for more than a second. Her skin had lost its colour, her wrists were slightly blue and she was only wearing a nightgown soaked with dirt!

"How did you get here, Hermione?" she asked quietly, not wanting to push her.

"I contacted McGonagall," she answered as short as possible, so her voice wouldn't crack. She tried to meet Mrs. Weasley's eyes, but she couldn't do it. She wasn't worthy Molly's presence in the first place, being the coward that she was. At least that was what she thought. Had she been in her right mind, she would've known that Mrs. Weasley would neither have judged nor blamed Hermione for the tings that'd happened. But she was not in her right mind. She dried her nose and took a sip of her cup. "I managed to Apparate to Hogsmeade. From there I broke into Honeydukes and took the secret passage way into the castle." Her voice cracked at the end and she shivered with embarrassment. Molly rubbed her shoulder carefully, her eyes saying that everything was going to be fine.

_But everything is not going to be fine_, Hermione thought and suddenly she felt completely empty. There were no tears left to cry, no more emotions boiling within her, no more shame for her cowardice. There was only a big, black hole - nothing more, nothing less.

"I think it's best if you go to bed, honey," said Mrs. Weasley and got up from her seat. She escorted an absentminded and freezing Hermione up the many stairs and made her a bed in the attic and not in Ginny's room as usual. Hermione didn't know how to thank the merciful woman, and therefore kept quiet and nodded. Molly smiled motherly and let the door remain half-closed, so a small beam of light illuminated the room.

Hermione didn't fall asleep. Some feelings had returned to her body, but they were entirely different from before. She felt shame, but this time because she no longer felt anything about what had just happened. She hadn't forgot – oh no, the screams of her parents were tattooed in her memory – but she just plain didn't feel anything about it anymore. She also felt that she had to be brave and get herself together, and not think about it anymore. She had to be strong and move on, but still remember what had happened.

_I cannot live in the past. I must let the past be the past, and live my life_, she thought, but instantly found it ridicules to think. She would never have the guts to fulfil such a dream. For it was only a dream, a wish for a lighter day ahead and nothing more. She wanted to cry, or at least sob, but she couldn't do it. So all she did was to lie awake and listen to the creaking of bedposts and the many floor boards, until the sun rose in the east.

* * *

Harry woke up from a horrible nightmare. For a moment he thought he was still dreaming, and had to pinch his own skin to be sure he was not. He guessed this nightmare had been of the quiet sort, since Ron still snored in his bed, talking in his sleep about Veelas as usual; this time about Gabrielle Delacour. Harry let out a short laugh. All Ron thought about these days were either all girls in general, or Hermione.

Harry on the other hand, had a lot more than girls on his mind. It wasn't that he didn't think about Ginny, it was just that he had to worry about everything that happened out there because of Voldemort. He read _the Prophet_ every day, examining it for any clues that could reveal anything about the enemy, he had insisted on joining the Order on their meetings, but they wouldn't let him and he constantly tried to figure out who R.A.B. was.

Ron hadn't been to much help, since the only thing _he_ read was_ "__Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches". _He sighed and went out of bed. He knew he wouldn't sleep again after the nightmare; he never did. So he dressed himself in a worn-out t-shirt and some pajama pants. He grabbed his glasses and his wand and set his course for the kitchen downstairs. When he had, as silent as he could manage, gotten to the stairs, he drew his wand in alarm. There was someone in the kitchen beneath him. He couldn't think of any Weasley who would drag him or herself out of bed at five in the morning.

He snuck silently down the creaky stairs and stopped outside the opened kitchen door. He took a deep breath before storming in and firing a disarming spell. The tiny person who had just sat on the bench by the table flew across the room and banged into a cupboard. Her cup of hot chocolate fell to the floor and broke into several pieces, and the smoking liquid painted the red tiles brown.

"H-Harry?" a shrill voice said and the girl pushed her bushy brown hair away from her face. She tried to stand up, but her legs were too shaky to carry her weight. Harry ran to her to help her up when he realized to his terror that he had just attacked Hermione.

"Hermione!" he almost yelled, but kept his voice low. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was you," he apologized sincerely and helped her up. She struggled to stand, so he lifted her up in his arms and carried her to the bench. Just as he had sat her down his foot slipped in the wet cocoa and hit his arse on the tiles. Hermione didn't laugh – she didn't even look at him.

"What are you doing here," he asked when he got up from the floor, rubbing his bottom. He flicked his wand and cleaned up all the mess he had created and closed the door. "You look terrible!" She grimaced in slight pain when he tried to rub her hands, just like Mrs. Weasley. She sent him a warm gaze, thanking him silently for caring.

"I decided to come a little earlier than planned," she said nonchalant and shrugged. She was amazed by her ability to control her voice, since she had been rather messed up only hours before. Harry didn't seem to believe her, though. "I took a portkey here, but didn't end up any closer than that hill by the village nearby. I wasn't prepared for the landing and hurt my wrists when I fell to the ground. You know how much I hate to use portkeys, Harry."

"Who made the portkey for you?" Harry asked, suspiciously. She narrowed her eyes slightly and bent forward so their noses almost met.

"Do you think I'm incapable in making a portkey?" she said rather sharp. "Remember who brewed the Polyjuice potion in our second year, mister Potter. It sure wasn't you." She backed away, not quite sure why she had answered that venomously. The main thing was that Harry seemed convinced, and she could relax a bit more.

"Why aren't you asleep?" he asked curiously and got up from his seat to make them some tea. Hermione didn't want to reveal her sudden lack of emotion and compassion, and turned to him with an accusing look.

"I was about to ask you the same question," she said and eyed him suspiciously. She knew he used to have nightmares, and she was certain he had just had one. This was a perfect distraction from her bad experiences. He shrugged.

"Just had a bad dream, that's all," he said and levitated two cups of tea with him to the table. Since Harry was of age, he could se magic without concern. That thought made her brain work again – the Ministry had to have noticed her use of magic when she locked the doors at Anna's house… The thought of the past events made her choke on her tea.

She looked at Harry who cleaned up some spilled tea with his wand. He didn't have to worry about using magic outside school anymore. She felt her heart miss a beat. They weren't going back to Hogwarts again this fall. The Express would go without them, and they would be God-knows-where. She clutched her tea cup and took a small sip. It burned her tongue.

"Was it about Voldemort," she said, not quite accustomed to say his name. Harry shook his head, and she furrowed. "Then about what?" It seemed like he struggled with himself before he said the least expecting word of all.

"Malfoy," he said so fast that Hermione had to ask him to repeat.

"Malfoy as in _Draco_ Malfoy?" she asked and took another sip of her cup. He nodded and did the same as to calm down. "What did you dream?" she asked and examined his face. He seemed paler than usual, and not that sure as he used to be about his dreams. She sensed his uncertainty and rubbed his hand. "You can tell me everything, Harry."

"I know, Hermione," he said and sighed. "I don't remember everything, though. And promise you won't freak out."

"Don't tell me this is some queer dream," she said and frowned. "Although, you know I support you no matter what! If you have a secret crush on Malfoy, it's strange, but I support you. I just want you to be happy, you know." He laughed and she stuck out her tongue. It was a strange thing to joke about, but at least her mind was elsewhere for a moment.

"It's not," he assured her and drank the rest of his tea. "I dreamt about him and Snape. They're on the run." Hermione let out a slightly annoyed sound. "I know that it's not a newsflash, Hermione. But it seemed to me that Malfoy was eager to go back home, but Snape wouldn't let him."

"I can easily understand why," Hermione said. "Voldemort would kill the boy. He didn't complete the task he was appointed. Of course his master would get rid of him if he returned."

"But why wouldn't Snape let him?" Harry said, rubbing at his temples.

"Maybe he cares for Malfoy," Hermione suggested, yawning. Harry shook his head.

"Snape is a cold, cruel person," he said toxic. "He cares for no one."

"Then I don't know why," she said, stretching her arms. "But it was only a dream, Harry. It means nothing." Harry sighed a bit irritated. The dream had seemed so real. I had to be true. Some things weren't only a figment of imagination, he knew that. So many of his dreams had come alive or at least happened while he dreamt it. He refused to believe that this was an exception. He shook his head and yawned.

"We should get to sleep," he said and levitated both cups to the sink. Hermione nodded and smiled at him, glad to be back. Still, she could not but pity him, finally knowing how it was to not be able to talk to your parents ever again.

* * *

Hermione felt her body shiver from cold and tucked her blanket tighter around her ankles. She sat in the Weasley living room in one of the comfy chairs, staring at the fireplace with empty eyes. She had only managed to stay in bed for five minutes before she had to move her feet again, and now she sat in front of the warming fire with a cup of tea in her trembling hands.

Despite the dancing flames, she felt cold to the bone. She tried not to think of the past hours, but it wasn't easy. Her parents' screams bellowed inside of her head, and no matter what she did to distract herself, green light constantly flashed before her eyes. She had to pinch herself to loose track of her thoughts, but it didn't last for long.

She kept staring at the living flames, thinking of her previous years at Hogwarts, trying to lead her mind elsewhere. She thought of all the quiet hours in the library, the not so quiet times by the house table, the Quidditch matches, Hagrid, Dumbledore…

Dumbledore was dead. She let out a cry in self-pity when she thought of all the people that had died in the past years. Sirius and Dumbledore hurt the most, except from her parents, and she could only imagine how Harry felt about it. His whole life was filled with misery, and still he managed not to complain or whine about his sorrows. She, on the other hand, sat in a chair all alone at three in the morning, sobbing. It was pathetic. She was pathetic. And she knew it. She had known since first year that she would never be as brave as Harry, and that Harry deserved to be put in Gryffindor. She, on the other hand, was not brave enough to be a proud Lioness. She was only smart, and even her brain had shut down in the moment of danger. She was a lame excuse for a witch.

She sat in her chair for hours just thinking of death and horror. It made her inconceivably tired, but her tea kept her awake. Around eight the first footsteps could be heard from above. She guessed Mrs. Weasley due to the rather stressful pace, and she was not mistaken. Shortly after, Molly Weasley came hasty down the stairs outside the living room door.

Hermione stretched her neck to get a look at Mrs. Weasley. At the same time, Molly happened to notice that the living room door was half opened, and caught Hermione's eye. Her lips curved into a great smile and she came through the door.

"I remember that I told you to go to bed, young lady," she said sternly, yet warm. Her smile hadn't disappeared, and it seemed she was on the verge of laughing. "Oh, forget it! Since you're already out of bed you can help me with breakfast. Come on, sweetie!"

Hermione couldn't say she felt like doing house work, but she was glad to be distracted from her rather depressive thoughts. She was immediately put into work as soon as she got out of her comfy chair. It wasn't only breakfast that had to be made ready before everyone else got up; the laundry had to be done, the kitchen had to be cleaned, the chickens had to be fed, the clothes had to be put into neat piles for every single Weasley and _then_ came breakfast.

Molly made sure to give Hermione loads of work to do, and no time for breaks. It was mostly Mrs. Weasley who did the talking, but Hermione added small 'yes's' and 'no's' now and then. In the middle of one of Mrs. Weasley's long speeches about her constant worry about the creaking floors, Mr. Weasley came running down the stairs. He didn't calm down before he was seated in his regular seat at the kitchen table.

"Good morning, love," he said loud when Molly entered the kitchen and started to serve him eggs and bacon. He didn't notice Hermione before she handed him a slice of bread. He first looked a bit shocked, but then his entire face turned into a smile.

"Well, well, well," he said and continued at his meal. "You decided to come early, hah?"

"Yes, I did," she answered steadily. "I came last night." Mr. Weasley cocked an eyebrow.

"Really?" he said and got up from his seat. "So that's why my Molly woke me up in the middle of the night!" Hermione made a nervous sound, afraid that she had been a burden on their shoulders, but Mr. Weasley just smiled. "Don't be afraid, Hermione. I didn't sleep that well anyway. Well! Better get off to work. See you at dinner!" He kissed Mrs. Weasley on her cheek before marching into the living room and jumped into the fire place.

Just as Mr. Weasley vanished in a mess of green flames, a large amount of footsteps could be heard from above their heads. Hermione felt her heart skip a beat as she heard Ron's voice from the top of the stairs.

"I promise you, Gin, that if you ever touch that again I'll hex you!" he said. Hermione recognized Ginny's snort. She could see their feet now, as they had stopped in the top of the staircase to argue until their overflowing abusing vocabulary ran out. Hermione knew bickering wasn't allowed in the kitchen, and had to laugh a little at their creative solution.

"You know as well as I do that the poster is _mine_, _Won-won_," Ginny said mockingly. At this moment Mrs. Weasley interrupted loud and clear.

"Ginerva and Ronald Weasley! Get down here this instant," she said and both of the redheads went silent. "And where is Harry? I have a surprise for you all in the kitchen." She gestured for Hermione to hide behind the kitchen door. Hermione did as she was told and jumped behind the thick door with a small grin. She would scare the shit out of Ron when he stepped into the kitchen…

Just as she expected, Ron went wild when he heard the word 'surprise'. He stormed down the stairs and over to the kitchen, and screamed in horror when Hermione jumped at him from behind. She held her hands before his eyes so he couldn't see who she was.

"Mom! There's a Death Eater in the kitchen!" he cried and tried to get her off of him.

"No, you silly," she laughed and didn't loosen her grip. "Guess again!" It seemed like his body stiffened and then abruptly relaxed when he heard her voice. She could feel him smiling but didn't remove her hands before he turned around.

"Hermione?" he grinned and she let go. She replaced her grip with a tight hug and laughed. "What are you doing here? You weren't supposed to be joining us until next week!"

"I decided to join you a little earlier," she smiled and backed away. Ginny entered the kitchen shortly followed by Harry. He looked awful, and Hermione could only guess why. He constantly rubbed his scar, but tried to hide it, but her eagle eyes knew he'd dreamt of Voldemort again. Or maybe his new dream had developed or returned? He surely looked like he could need a dozen cups of coffee.

"Why are you up so early?" he asked her and smiled with his hands in his pockets. Ron stared at Harry, and then at Hermione with his mouth open.

"Did you know she was here?" he said and stared accusing at Harry. "And you didn't tell me?" Harry sighed.

"You were too busy sleeping, you jackass," he snorted and went over to the kitchen table. Ron mumbled something about some very good dreams and joined him. Ginny met Hermione in a warm hug.

"You look like hell, 'mione," Ginny said and didn't let go of her friend. She could sense there was something wrong, but knew Hermione wouldn't tell her anything. But she was determined to try none the less.

"What a compliment," Hermione said dryly and hugged Ginny harder. It was so soothing to feel her friend's warm body against her own, but she knew she could never tell her about her situation. Ginny wasn't strong enough to know it yet. Hermione knew she was worried sick about Harry, since the two girls had exchanged letters all summer. Ginny knew what the three of them were up to, and knew she couldn't come along. Hermione couldn't possibly understand how she felt. And she knew Ginny couldn't understand how _she_ felt, since she had both of her parents alive and in good shape. At this thought she had to struggle not to let out a sob, and tried to pull away from Ginny instead. But the redhead held her tight.

"Why did you come so early?" she asked, and Hermione felt her heart sink.

"It's nothing to worry about, Gin," she said warmly. "I promise you; everything is fine!"

Just before they let go of each other, Ginny whispered in her ear: "I know something isn't right. You cannot fool me, Hermione."

The two friends let go of each other and exchanged looks in silence. Suddenly Hermione didn't feel that cheerful anymore.

* * *

After breakfast, Mrs. Weasley put Ginny, Fred and George to work. Hermione was told that Bill and Fleur were to marry each other in four days, and the entire wedding was to be held at the Burrow. She was in a good mood, though, and let Harry, Ron and Hermione get away with cleaning up the henhouse. Whilst the three friends "cleaned", they used the opportunity to talk about their summer.

"How long did you stay at the Dursley's, Harry?" Hermione asked as she scraped some dirt of the wall. Harry dropped his spade and sighed.

"Longer than comfortable," he said and smiled. He didn't have to say anything more. They all knew it was something they should be talking about instead, but none of them knew how to start. Harry knew they had to get away from the Burrow and start searching for horcruxes soon, but he had no plan. It seemed like they relied on him as their leader or something, and he didn't know what to do with it. He was clueless about the horcruxes' hiding places, and the only lead they had was the medallion. After a long pause, Hermione snorted.

"We cannot stay here for long, boys," she said sternly. Ron sent her a slightly shocked look. "We need to pack and leave as soon as possible. You-Know-Who is constantly planning on how to catch you and kill you, Harry. We mustn't give him the time he needs to plan an attack. He probably knows you're here!" Ron sighed and rolled his eyes at her.

"How can we be safer _outside_ the Burrow?" Harry nodded. He didn't want to leave the Burrow just yet. Not before he had a plan, and Hermione was dangerously close to finding out that he didn't have one.

"If we leave soon without a word, no one will know where we are," she whispered. Both Harry and Ron knew she was right, but they all knew what it meant. Ron's face grew darker and then he let out a short laugh.

"I know this sounds totally pointless, but Bill and Fleur's wedding is in four days!" he said and stood up from the old, dirty box he sat on. "Mom is going to freak if we leave now, and you both know it! And how are we going to scoot without mom knowing it?" Harry shrugged.

"We sneak out at night," he suggested. Hermione wrinkled her nose at this.

"The last time I suck out after bedtime I got caught before I reached the kitchen," Ron said. "My parents are totally crazy with those charms, and you should both know!"

"I actually woke up your father last night when I sneaked out of bed," Hermione added thoughtfully. It wasn't going to be easy, just as she had expected. Harry sighed again.

"Tell them a lie, then," he said and sat down on the dirty floor. "What did you tell your parents, 'mione? Maybe Ron can do the same?" At this Hermione stiffened and grew cold. It was like her heart turned to stone. It was like her lips were glued together and she thought it best, because she really didn't feel like talking. Instead of answering his question she just walked out of the henhouse without a sound. Harry and Ron looked at each other and shrugged.

"Girls," Ron said and kicked some dirt before he sat down again. "You can't possibly understand them, can you?" Harry laughed.

"Not even reading '_Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches_' at least a hundred times?" he teased and Ron blushed.

"It is very educative, I tell you!" he protested and Harry could not but grin when Ron's ears turned red. They could almost match his hair now, and Harry suddenly was thrilled over his black, untidy hair.

"Ron…" he said. H had to tell Ron about his dreams. Hermione only worried herself, and he didn't need to worry more than he already did. Ron looked curious at him. "I dreamt something last night."

"About…" Ron began.

"It wasn't about Voldemort," Harry interrupted and ignored the slightly shaking Ron. "It was about Snape... And Malfoy."

"What?" Ron hiccupped. "What did that slimy git do? Did he kill someone?"

"No, he didn't kill anyone," Harry said and sighed. Maybe it wasn't so smart telling Ron anyway.

"Then what did he do?"

"He attacked Snape and ran away from him," Harry said thoughtfully. "I just don't understand why…"

"It's just a dream, Harry," Ron said and smiled. "IT wasn't like you saw through his eyes, or something, like you do when you dream about…"

"No, it wasn't like that," Harry interrupted again. "It was like I was there, like I was watching them from under my cloak."

"Your cloak!"

"What about it?"

"We can sneak out under your cloak!" Ron said and smiled happily. Harry shrugged.

"Aren't we too big to fit underneath it?" he said. "People will be able to see our legs."

"After a couple of shots with fire whiskey, people won't care about three pair of feet," Ron grinned and clapped his hands. "Aren't I just brilliant? I must go and tell 'mione!" And then he was on his feet and danced out of the henhouse while humming. Harry sighed. He had to come up with a plan. Quick.

"Harry?" he turned to see Ginny standing in the door. He smiled at the sight of her and nodded. She came in and sat down before him.

"What is it?" he asked and felt his heart turn slightly lighter at the sound of her voice.

"I just wondered when you'll be leaving," she whispered. Her eyes were painted with pain and sadness, but she tried her best to smile playfully. Harry sighed.

"We don't know yet," he said. "Maybe on the day of the wedding, we don't know."

"I wish I could join you," Ginny said and stared at her feet. "I can fight, Harry! You trained us in your fifth year."

"You cannot quit school, Gin," he said. "You need to watch Hogwarts. We can communicate with our coins, remember? We've talked about this."

"But I can't bear the thought of you three out in the wilderness without me," she said with a shrill voice. "What if you get injured? What if you… _die_…"

"Relax, Ginny, I won't die," Harry said reassuringly, but if he was honest to himself, he knew he wasn't sure. He could easily die. He pushed the horrible thought out of his head and touched Ginny's knee. The touch made her meet his gaze in a quick move, and he instantly removed his hand. They hadn't touched each other nor talked to each other since before the summer. He'd left her with good reason, but still, they could never be the same again. He now discovered it would be difficult to become friends again as well.

"I wish someone else would go," Ginny whispered, "anyone but you, Harry." Harry raised his eyebrows. Ginny looked down and started to play with her hair.

"We can never be the same as before, Gin," he said in almost a whisper. At first, Ginny didn't respond and just sat with her head bent down. Then, she took a deep breath and turned to face him. Her face was stone cold and her eyes expressed nothing at all. They were just green. She gave him a short nod before heading for the door.

"I know why we couldn't continue, Harry," she said with her back turned on him. "But it was still hard to swallow, you know. You were different from all the others I've been with. It hurt more when you cut it off. I just hoped we could go back there if I joined you guys… I guess I was wrong."

Then she walked through the door and let him sit in his own misery.

Harry sighed and started to pace. Why did Ginny do this to him right now? She knew she couldn't come along, so why try? Ron was right; you could never understand girls. Especially not Ginny, or Hermione for that matter. He wished Sirius was there to guide him.

The thought of his godfather made his heart skip a few beats. He could clearly see the gruesome veil flap in an invisible wind. He felt a cold shiver run down his spine, and noticed that he'd stopped pacing.

He took a deep breath before closing his eyes. Why had everything got to be so goddamn difficult? Everybody died around him; his parents, Sirius, Dumbledore… Before he knew it Hermione and Ron would be gone too, if he weren't careful enough. He knew better than bringing Ginny along as well, and didn't really want to risk any harm to his best friends either. But he knew they would follow him if he tried to go without them; they would always be by his side. It didn't comfort him as much as you might think. On the contrary – it worried him. He loathed the idea of them standing by his side when he stood up against Voldemort. He'd kill them as easily as he'd killed Cedric. With a flick of his wand.

He dreaded the thought of carrying their bodies back to their parents. Molly would be devastated, and they'd probable blame him for Ron's death. And if Ginny came along, she would most certainly walk down the same road as her brother. He would never be able to forgive himself for their deaths. He had to run away without them, and had to do it tonight.


	3. Chapter 3: Leaving

Hermione barged through the door to her bedroom in the attic and closed it behind her. She knew she couldn't blame Harry for what he'd just said, but it still hurt. She never made comments that reminded him about his parents, and therefore it felt so goddamn unfair that he was allowed to do so. She sat down on the creaky bed with a sigh and dried her eyes. Not that they were leaking, or anything, of course.

Someone knocked on the door, but didn't wait for answer. This 'someone' happened to be Ginny – a rather upset Ginny, for that matter. She sat down next to Hermione with a displeased huff and started to rub her temples. Hermione could clearly see there was something wrong, and she could only guess why.

"What did he say?" she asked and got a little closer to her friend, ready to embrace her if needed. Ginny just shrugged, though. She wasn't the type of girl that needed that much of a comforting hug. Ginny was a real tomboy, to put it in words; but still, 'tomboy' wasn't the right expression.

"He made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with me," Ginny grunted and rested her arms in her lap, leaning against the wall behind the bed. Hermione sighed and rubbed the girl's back for a second.

"I'm sure he didn't mean that," she ensured, but Ginny just sent her a fiery look.

"Are you saying that I'm mistaken or that I would make this up in some form of desperation?" Hermione sighed and prepared for the expected speech about how independent Ginny was and how well she could do without boys in her life.

"Aren't you sure you'd rather be a lesbian, if boys are so horrible," Hermione suggested wildly in an attempt of calming Ginny down. Ginny sent her strange look.

"What is that supposed to mean," she said and raised an eyebrow. "Are you hitting on me?" Hermione immediately laughed and pushed her friend aside with a grin.

"Of course not, you silly twit," she screamed. "But if I did, would you refuse? I'm really feisty, you know! Like a ball of fire!" Ginny smiled seductively and winked at Hermione. Hermione winked back and clawed at her like a cat before surprising Ginny with a killing tickle attack.

"Stop, you lovesick lesbian," Ginny screamed dramatically and tried to resist the urge to laugh. Hermione pretended to be offended and fainted so she collapsed in a pile on the floor. "Oh, no! My mistress is dead and gone," Ginny cried and slapped Hermione's head.

"And thank Merlin for that," Hermione added and rubbed her neck. "My entire body is aching after that collapse." Ginny laughed and signalled for Hermione to lean against the bedside between her legs.

"We don't need men and their incapability to understand us," Ginny mumbled as she rubbed Hermione's neck. "I can't possibly understand why Bill and Fleur want to get married. I mean – they're stuck together for life!" Hermione snorted.

"In the muggle world several married couples divorce after only a couple of years," she said and changed her position a bit. "Some even get a divorce after months. I cannot possibly understand why they married each other and spent a lot of money on a goddamn wedding if it is only to grab half of the other's possessions!"

"So that's how it works," Ginny said thoughtfully and started to braid Hermione's hair. "Then there actually is a way back! Maybe I can get married to some rich guy and steal all his money?" Hermione laughed.

"You still have to put up with the pig for at least six months, I think," Hermione added and smiled at herself. She was glad her parents never split up… Her body tensed and she felt an enormous shiver creep down her spine, slowly. But she only felt her jaw tighten and then she moved on like it was nothing but a cold breeze. Ginny sensed it though.

"So…" she began, not quite knowing what she actually was asking about. "Any problems lately?" Hermione just shrugged.

"What do you mean?" she said innocently. Ginny sighed.

"We're girls, not stupid baboons like those boys you're spending your precious time with," she said and stopped braiding. "I can sense something is wrong, Herms. I told you this morning you couldn't hide it from me, and that's a fact. You may fool all of the others, but not me 'mione, not me." Hermione struggled not to sob. She wanted nothing more than to tell Ginny everything, but she knew she couldn't do so. Ginny would tell on her. It wasn't that she didn't trust her friend; it was just that the problem was a bit too serious to keep a secret to your mother.

"I was just thinking about Hogwarts," she lied and pretended to sigh with displease.

"When are you leaving," Ginny asked in a whisper, seeming to believe her. Hermione felt her heart fly and sink at the same time, knowing she'd got away from a quiz about her personal life, but she still felt bad about lying to Ginny.

"Around the wedding, I guess," she said. "We tried to make some plans in the henhouse, but all we decided was that we needed a plan, really." She laughed at this. "We are an efficient gang, aren't we?" Ginny wanted to laugh with her, but couldn't. She wanted so badly to join them, be a part of their mission. She was just as good as Hermione in charms and defence against the dark arts, perhaps even better! Hermione was only allowed to go because she was older and a goody-two-shoes.

"Where are you going to stay while away?" she asked. Hermione shrugged.

"I think Harry has it all planned out," she confessed. "I'm sure he knows were that item is hidden. Dumbledore must have given him some kind of clue, right?"

"What is it exactly that you're looking for?" Ginny asked curiously. Hermione knew she'd said too much already. No one but she, Ron and Harry knew about the horcruxes.

"I'm not really allowed to say anything about it, Gin," she said in a sad tone. "Harry strictly forbids us to tell. I'm sorry." Ginny let out a sound of discontent, but didn't say anything more. Her small sound was followed by a long silence.

Hermione just stared at the thin air before her, watching the dust dance in the sunlight from the small skylight. It seemed like the little window protected the attic from the sun, trying its best not to let too much in. Hermione smiled when she saw the dust before her face dance wildly when she exhaled and immediately thought of none but Luna. That girl was so free, so full of life and energy! Still she was as calm as the sea on a shiny day with a gleam in her eyes, as a sign of life despite her constant absentness.

Ginny sill held Hermione's hair in her hands. She just studied her fingers; one by one, trying to find anything special about them, but found nothing. She wasn't special like her brothers or her friends. Fred and George were the funny ones, Percy was the outcast, Ron was Harry's best friend and the constant screw-up, Bill was the head of the patch and Charlie played with dragons all day long! Hermione was smart and beautiful, while Harry was Harry fucking Potter! And what was she? She was just _the Weasley girl_…

A cold breeze sneaked through the small window and made both of the girls shiver. They fell out of their trance and got up to stretch their limbs. Without a word Ginny left the room so she could have some air and think. She needed to join the three others, she just had to! Who would ever remember her if she didn't? No one but her family, and that was just not good enough. She had to come up with some sort of plan, and she had to do it immediately.

Harry had reached Ron before he knocked on the door to Hermione's bedroom. They could hear laughter from inside and in the middle of it, they could more than clear hear the words: "Stop, you lovesick lesbian!" At this they silently moved away from the attic and went downstairs in the living room. Molly was too busy in the kitchen to notice the boys, but they still had to hide from a rather stressed Arthur who'd just come home from work.

The two friends sneaked out the back door into the quiet garden and climbed up in the old Weasley tree house. Harry had never been up there, but he liked it. It was a small hut between three branches with only a hole in the floor to climb through and two small windows. The tree house was shaking slightly when they climbed through the hole and sat with their back against the walls. Since Ron was a bit taller than Harry, he had to bend his neck to fit.

"The most secure place to go would be Grimmauld Place," Harry said abruptly. Ron just nodded in agreement. Little did he know about Harry's plan about escaping that very night, and it was probably for the best. It was because of _him_ Harry had to run away. It stung Harry's heart when Ron tried to make plans for their future.

"I assume that we'll start the real searching from there," he said. "It's kinda hard to plan anything here. Mom is everywhere."

"And so is Ginny," Harry added.

"Is she still trying to convince you?" Ron sighed with irritation. "Does she never give up?" Harry shrugged and stared at his shoes. They suddenly became very fascinating, and he didn't hear a word of what Ron had to say. Not that it mattered what he said, since Harry was to make his own plans anyway. He had to stop Hermione and Ron from making plans so they wouldn't get too disappointed. The only way was to get them to work.

"I think we should go and help your mother, Ron," he interrupted and started to climb down the rope. Ron raised his eyebrows, but followed his best mate down the hole. Harry had already started walking towards the house before Ron reached the ground. He mumbled something about ignorance before he kicked a gnome and followed Harry inside the house.

It's strange how much friendship can ruin you completely. Or is it love? Harry didn't know, but he knew he had to stop thinking about them as his friends. The thought of losing them and leaving them behind was devastating. Perhaps he would never get the chance to see them ever again after he left? Maybe he would get killed? He didn't know, and that was what worried him so much; his lack of plans and foresight.

He closed his eyes and pretended to sleep until Ron started to snore. He then got out of bed as silent as he could and started packing the most important. He had hid the medallion in a little box under a loose plank under his trunk, and tried carefully to loosen the plank and fetch what he was after. The plank creaked dangerously, but Ron's only reaction was a change of position and the rhythm of his breath.

When he'd packed the medallion, his photo album, the last edition of _the Prophet_, his last letter from Sirius and his wand, he silently wrote a letter to Ron.

_Hello mate_

_I'm terribly sorry for this, buddy. It stinking awful to leave you guys like this, especially you. Believe me, I appreciate our close friendship and your kindness, but it has to be this way. You cannot follow me like you planned. I'm leaving tonight, alone, and you and Hermione are going back to school with Ginny!_

_I don't know if we'll ever see each other again. Therefore, if I die, I give you my broom and… I'm sorry, mate. I can't describe how much I'll miss you and your jokes. Please don't change! And go for Hermione, I know you'll succeed (especially after reading that bloody book at least a thousand times by now)._

_I truly hope we'll see each other again some time._

_Harry._

_NB: Burn after reading._

Then he placed the letter on Ron's desk and left the room quietly. He felt his heart rip in two as he closed the door behind him. He wasn't sure if he ad the strength to see the girls before he left. Still, he sat down in front of Ginny's door and wrote her a letter as well. This was longer, though not more important, but it was somehow easier to write to a girl than to a boy. He couldn't understand how and why, but he felt he had to hide so much for Ron. With Ginny he felt free, and he hated leaving her.

He placed the letter in front of her door so it would be the first thing she'd see in the morning. He hesitated before leaving the door and heading for the attic. He'd written a letter for Hermione as well, and left it right outside her door. He felt really bad leaving the letter, but he knew he couldn't turn back now. This was the right thing to do, and he knew it. He couldn't risk more harm to them than he'd already done.

He made his way to the bathroom and packed his toothbrush, toothpaste, a few hand towels and a bar of soap. He knew he was on a mission, but it didn't mean he had to smell bad. He corrected his glasses and took a final look at himself in the old mirror. He obviously had a bad hair day.

He hastily walked downstairs without a sound and found his cloak hidden at the same place as always – the old Weasley raincoat trunk in the living room. He knew none of the Weasleys ever wore a raincoat anyway, so he knew they'd never look there. Not that he expected them to search for his cloak – it was just nice to know only he knew where it was.

He stuffed his cloak in his backpack and tried to make his way to the kitchen in the dark. Suddenly a lamp was lit. He stopped abruptly and felt his guts twist at the sound of her voice.

"What the hell is this, Harry," she said and held her letter so he could see it. She sat in her usual chair with her legs crossed. Her face wasn't beautifully graced with her normal smile, but twisted in disappointment and anger.

"Herms, I can explain -" he tried but she interrupted him.

"Don't you 'Herms' me!" she hissed and got up from the chair. Just for safety he backed.

"I you'll just let me explain!"

"I don't need an explanation from you, Potter," she snared and stamped. "But you'll have to tell me this. What do you mean by: _"You can have Grimmauld Place if I die? Please take care of Ron; he really needs someone to be there for him, and Ginny as well. Tell her that I love her and that I'll miss her."_ What the hell is this, Harry?"

Harry sighed. He knew Hermione would never understand no matter how he put it. He couldn't help but wonder why fate had to punch him in the face like this. Did he have such a bad karma? He rubbed at his temples while trying to figure out what to say. At the moment he didn't need to utter a single word since Hermione now showered him with insults and phrases he didn't even knew she knew of.

Why was it so hard for her to understand? All he did was care, and what did he get back; hate and disappointment and meaningless accusations. He'd had enough of this nonsense. Without a word he turned away from her and headed to the kitchen. She made an insulted sound and followed him just as angry.

"How can you leave without saying anything?" she barked and closed the kitchen door behind them. When he didn't answer she sighed and watched him gather fruit and meat for his journey. Without caring her eyes watered and she let out a small huff.

"I give up, Harry," she said and sat down at one of the benches. Harry stopped in his trail and turned to face her. Her eyes were wet from silent tears and the look she gave him was not angry any more, but sad. "How can you do this to us?" Her words hit him like a stone. "How can you leave us like this? I'm sure you gave her a letter as well. How can you do that and still be human? Don't you have any feelings for –"

"Don't you think I've thought of this?" Harry snapped and slammed his fist in the table in front of her. She stared at him with her big, brown eyes and blinked.

"Then why are you still going through with this?" she whispered.

"I have to finish what Dumbledore started," he said simply and grabbed his backpack.

"We agreed to do it together," she said with a shrill voice. "How can you leave us with nothing but a letter? How can you leave _me_…?" At this she got up from her seat and grabbed his hand. He tried to pull his hand back, but she wouldn't let go of him. He felt his heart twist and turn. If she only had slept quietly in her bed and remembered nothing… An idea popped into his head. He knew a memory charm used by Gilderoy Lockhart, but he wasn't sure it would work… What was he thinking? He didn't just consider cursing Hermione, did he?

"I'm sorry Hermione, but it has to be this way," he said pulling away from her. He felt his voice threatening to crack, but he didn't care. "I'm doing this out of love, don't you understand? I cannot take you with me, it's too dangerous!"

"It doesn't matter, Harry, we're here for you!"

"And I don't want you to," he said as calm as he could manage. "I'm not willing to risk your lives, Hermione. He can't stand the thought of seeing your bodies being burned in a huge pile with the others. I can't stand the thought of losing you!"

"Oh, Harry…"

Hermione enveloped him in a warm, trembling hug. He felt her rapid heartbeat against his chest and felt somehow safe. He dropped his backpack and squeezed her back. For some reason he sensed there was something other than this that made her shiver, so he hugged her harder than he needed, just to make sure she knew he wanted to be there for her. Although it would be hard since he was leaving.

"I haven't changed my mind, Herms," he whispered and gave her a stubborn look.

"Of course you haven't," she said and dried her tears. "You're worse than a goddamn donkey!" They both laughed short at this before they both turned dead serious again. "I won't let you leave without me, Harry," she said determined. "Either you stay or you'll give me some time to fetch my stuff."

"You've already packed?" he asked bewildered. Hermione cocked an eyebrow.

"Of course I have," she said with a weak smile. Her eyes were still red, so the slight positive smile only seemed washed out somehow. "I've been preparing for this whole summer. Promise me you'll wait, and I'll show you what I've packed!" With this as her last words she hesitantly turned her back on him and sneaked out the door.

Harry sighed and picked up his backpack from the floor. He first sat down at a bench and stared at the wall in front of him. This was all turning out the wrong way. He let his gaze rest upon the kitchen door that led into the garden. He genuinely considered leaving through that door before Hermione returned, but for some reason he hesitated. He felt so bad leaving them. His heart ached when he thought of the two others finding their letters, and Hermione feeling betrayed and left behind. He didn't want her to think of him as a coward and a selfish bastard. The thing was, however, that he felt selfish by bringing them along. He felt he would bring them along for his own safety and company, not for their capability to fight. He knew Hermione was good with potions, but her DADA grades weren't that good. And Ron was just… Ron. They didn't actually help him if they joined him, they would only slow him down. He had the smarts and the guts to figure out the horcruxes on his own.

He stood up, ready to run through the door, when Hermione came in.

"Were you about to leave?" she asked worriedly. He stopped in his tracks and took a deep breath. She sighed after a long pause. "I guess that's a 'yes'."

"Don't feel bad, Hermione," he said and turned to face her. "I don't," he lied.

"That's too bad, Harry," she said a bit triumphantly, "'cause I just woke up Ron."

"What?" Harry gaped.

"I knew I had to do something," she said and crossed her arms. "We're coming with you, Harry, whether you like it or not!"

Harry sat down at the bench speechless. Everything was going downhill! He didn't even know what he wanted; leaving without them or not. They were his friends and he loved them for the world, but he didn't want to risk them any harm by bringing them. He didn't know how he'd manage without them, though, but he knew he'd find a way. He didn't want to take them with him, but did he want it so bad that he'd turn to desperate measures to achieve his goal? He didn't know what he was thinking when he pulled out his wand from him backpack and aimed at Hermione.

"H-Harry," she whispered and her eyes grew big. "What are you doing?" She saw him aiming at her with nothing but pain in his eyes. She knew he wouldn't hurt her, but she still wished for him to put it down. Ron could be there any minute now, but who knew if he'd brought his wand?

"Hermione," Harry started, but didn't finish his sentence as Ron came through the door. He saw Harry pointing his wand at Hermione and gaped.

"Harry, what in the name of Merlin's groggy underpants are you doing?" he nearly screamed. Both Harry and Hermione hushed him and then went back to aiming. Ron walked closer to Harry with slow steps. He sighed and shook his head.

"This is pointless, mate," he said and got Harry to meet his stare. "We had a deal."

"I don't care about the deal," Harry said a bit too fast. Hermione moaned.

"Have you any idea of how you sound?"

"He sounds insane," Ron added quickly and crossed his arms. "But I know he isn't."

"How do you know I'm not totally crazy?" Harry challenged and now aimed at Ron.

"You don't hate us, Harry," Hermione said and he went back to aiming at her. "You need us," she continued. "Without us you're only Harry Potter. With us you're Harry Potter and his two little sidekicks. That sounds a little bit cooler."

"Aren't we like the Golden Trio, or something?" Ron said and shrugged at Hermione's glance. "That's what I've heard people call us in school. People expect us to stick together. If we can't stay friends, then who can?"

Harry sighed, but didn't lower his wand. He wanted them to be right, but he wouldn't let them. All the same, they were as stubborn as him.

"I'm truly sorry," he said and lowered his hand. Ron smiled a weak smile.

"I know," he said. "You said so in your letter." Hermione let out a short laugh.

"Did you really think that a single letter would suffer?" she said and raised her eyebrows.

"I…" Harry started, but couldn't find the words. He felt nothing but irritated. Why had they ruined his plan? He had it all planned out and suddenly they trashed everything. He had to pull himself together not to blow up. He took a deep breath and tried to cook up something new, involving the two others.

"We have to leave now," he said determined after a small pause. This time it was Ron's turn to laugh.

"Are you serious?" he asked and gaped. "Mom is going to freak!"

"I was leaving because there is no time," Harry said a bit harsh. "We're leaving tonight." It was silent for quite a bit before Hermione smiled.

"Of course we leave tonight," she said and stared Harry into his eyes. "I have complete faith in you, Harry. We both have." _That's exactly where the problem lies…_ Harry thought.

"So where do we go?" Ron asked and looked defeated at Harry.

"We go to Grimmauld Place as planned," Harry said. "We're safe there." _No we are not, but at least the trip will give me time to plan our next move…_

"Let me just fetch my stuff," Hermione said and headed for the door. Just as she touched the door handle they heard a crash from the living room. All three of them exchanged looks and stormed out the door. The hall was totally empty and silent in the dark. Hermione nodded towards the stairs and headed up. Harry and Ron walked together inside the living room, Harry with his wand ready to fight.

The living room was empty as well, and only the light Hermione had turned on earlier was lit. Harry waited for a moment before he sighed and turned it off. BANG! Both Ron and Harry quipped as the window almost broke into pieces.

"Relax, Harry, it's only Errol," Ron breathed heavily from the floor. "Goddamn owl," he added under his breath and got up. Harry could only watch his friend in bewilderment. How the hell did he get on the floor so quickly?

Ron walked over to the window and let the confused owl inside. The owl flapped wildly with its wings and slowly calmed down at the back of Hermione's usual chair, where it collapsed and lay immobile. Harry poked it to check if it really was dead this time, but it was still breathing to his relief. It had four letters tied around its leg.

"These letters are from Hogwarts," Ron said quietly. Harry got over to him to check. When he saw the Hogwarts emblem on the envelopes his heart stung. They weren't going back to school this year. Hogwarts was his only home, his only hiding place from the Dursleys and the rest of the world. He hated letting it go.

"I guess it is our O., then," he said grabbing his own letter. He felt a badge through the paper and his heart skipped a beat. Was he made captain this year? Or perhaps Head Boy, just like his father? He didn't dare to look.

"Let's not show these to Hermione," Ron said, who'd just thought the same. He left Ginny's letter on the table next to the chair and hid the others in Harry's backpack.

"We'll give them a look when we're settled a Grimmauld Place," Harry said and patted Errol on the head. He hadn't said goodbye to Hedwig yet.

"Well, let's go," they heard Hermione whisper from the door. They boys turned and walked through the door. In the kitchen they slowly opened the back door and sneaked out in the night, ready to escape. What they didn't know was that the entire conversation was heard by a certain female redhead, who followed them in the darkness, desperate for an adventure.


End file.
